The Riker paradigm

Years ago I was in the Navy, and spent a good part of the late 80’s and early 90’s out to sea.

What does that have to do with Warcraft? Not much honestly, but it does explain why I’ve been slowly working my way thru shows like Star Trek, The Next Generation and actually seeing them for the first time.

What struck me was an episode I watched a few weeks ago.

The short version is that years ago LT. Riker was the last to beam out of a research base that was about to be cut off for a long time, something like seven years. There was a problem during the beam out and they almost lost him, but he came thru.

Years later when the next window opens up to go retrieve the research data left behind Commander Riker meets LT. Riker, who never made the beam out. Somehow there ended up being two of him.

Two of him that were now quite different people. One having advanced a career while the other was marooned alone for years. There was the one we had met on the show, and Riker 2.0.

It’s an interesting episode, but more to the point it gave me an idea about possibilities for Warlords of Draenor.

Everyone, myself included, has been hitting this from the time travel angle.

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What if we are totally wrong.

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What if, when Garrosh went back in time, it actually made a second copy of Draenor the way it existed at the moment he arrived.

A copy separate and different from the one we know as Outlands today.

What if we don’t go back into the past, but go to Draenor as it would be in our time, 35 years later, if just a few choices had been made differently. Changes like the Orcs not drinking Mannoroths blood for instance?

What if it’s not time travel at all (for us) but is actually Draenor 2.0?

It would explain ever so many things, and solve most of the paradoxes that could have come from this.

It would even explain how Garrosh himself was played down somewhat as the big bad we would be hunting. Perhaps he just set the ball in motion, and others made different choices as a result.

Choices that caused Draenor 2.0 to be a very different place than Draenor 1.0.

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Consider your own life. Look back thru the years and you’ll be able to find many turning points. Things that seemed inconsequential at the time, but ended up having a huge impact on your life.

For example, many years ago I was driving home from work one day. I decided I wanted to grab a burger. I saw four or five cars in the drive thru and decided to go in (which I normally would not have done).

While I was in there ordering my food I met a young lady.

We hit it off pretty well.

I’ve been married to her going on 25 years now.

What if I had been in the mood for chinese take out instead? Or I decided to wait thru the line at the drive up anyhow?

See what I mean, one little choice had a huge impact on my life.

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Back to Draenor for a moment, lets look at the bits we have seen. We see Gronn tamed and used as siege engines, trained armies, great weapons of war. Political, or at least military, alliances seem to now exist between the Iron Horde and the ogres.

Those kind of things take time to make happen. Time Garrosh would not have had if we show up right on his heels. Hell, he may even be dead of old age by the time we arrive.

This isn’t the tale of us chasing Garrosh thru the portal and trying to stop him.

His Iron Horde already has the majority of Draenor under it’s boot. They have had decades to prepare.

They have built a great army.

They know where we are.

And they are coming for us…

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As a storyteller myself, I can see how the pieces would fit together to make a story line like this fly. I truly wish I was helping to write it, it’s a really interesting idea.

As a player, well, I can see my characters as war weary veterans if I wish.  Hell, with all they’ve been thru I’m sure they would be.

I can also see the dark portal crackling, poised to send forth a horde that will destroy the world I call home.

I can also see the tired old veterans lowering their eyes at what they know is coming, but still strapping on their armor…

one

last

time.

I can see the remnants of those on Draenor that still resist the Iron Horde, hard pressed, nearly overwhelmed.

And I can see the dark portal simmering, and figures beginning to emerge into the lands of Draenor.  First as a trickle, then building to a flood, the armies of Azeroth are coming thru.

Help has come at last.

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I haven’t been this excited for an expansion since… I’m drawing a blank.

I’ve never been this excited for a video game.

Damn, I can’t wait.

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